Latch-opening mechanism for knitting-machines.



W. J. ELLIOTT. LATCH OPENING M'EcHANlsN Foa KNITUNG N-AcHrNEs.

` APPLICATIQN FILED APN. 15, 1914. 1,139,173.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Wl I. ELLIOTT. LATCH OPENING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES. APPucATloNFILED APR.15, 1914.

1,139,173. Patenwd 111215411915l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITE@ STATES PATENT @FFTQE WILLIAM J. ELLIOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ADOLPH KESSELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LATCH-OPENING MECHANISM FOR KNITTINGr-MAGI-IINES.

maarre.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed April 15, 1914. Serial No. 831,978. y

clare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the art of knitting machines, and particularlyto the class of dial knitting machines, and one of the objects of theinvention is to provide an improved attachment of the above nature, foropening the latches of the needle. Heretofore, in such dial knittingmachines it is the custom to employ crude devices which continually plowthrough the needles, as the machine is in the course of operation,thereby subjecting the needles to the danger of being broken orotherwise damaged.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a latch openingmechanism of such a construction that when the same is used on aknitting machine in conjunction with the latch preserving device, as setforth, shown in the drawings and claimed in the application of lVm. J.Elliott, filed May 20, 1914, Serial #839,810, the needles and latcheswill be preserved, thereby reducing the danger of breaking to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means, such as alatch opener, for only opening the-latches, at the time of completingthe knitting of one sweater or other garment or the like and startingthe next course of knitting.

A further object of the invention is to provide means automaticallyactuated for restoring the latch opener to its normal position,subsequently to completing the first garment.

This form of latch opening mechanism may be applied to any form orconstruction of knitting machine.

In practical fields the minor details of construction may be subjectedto various minor alterations, falling within the scope of what isclaimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, ashereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the `drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of a segmental portion of aknitting machine, showing the invention as applied thereto. Fig. 2 is asectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspectiveview of the latch opener detached. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of thelatch opener, showing parts in dotted lines, and showing a section ofthe rod for automatically releasing the opener from operative position.Fig. 5

is a sectional view vertically through thev latch opener on line 5 5 ofFig. 4.

As before stated, any form or construction of knitting machine may beemployed, therefore 1 designates a stationary or immovable part of themachine. As far as the machine is concerned, it is only necessary toillustrate a suiiicient number of parts to carry out the operation ofthe invention. Carried by the stationary part of the machine is aplunger 2, in the form of a roller. In practive, however, a number ofthese plungers is to be employed for actuating the dogs 3, only onebeing illustrated. The plunger 2 at certain periods is designed to becammed upwardly through the stationary part or bed plate 1 by anysuitable means (not shown). Engageable with and movable in an annularrecess of the bed plate or stationary part is the usual or movablearched ring 4, which carries the dog 3. Said annular recess isdesignated by the numeral 5. Also movable with the arched ring are theupper and lower dial plates 6 and 7 being secured together in the usualmanner by the screws 8. The dial plate 7 is provided with the usualcircular or annular slot 9 having the camming portions or surfaces oredges 10, in which slot the lugs 11 of the needles engage, so that whenthe lower needle actuating dial plate is in the act of rotation, theneedles will be actuated in the usual marmer by the camming surfaces orportions 10, thereby vforcing them radially toward the center of themachine, in order to take and release the thread in the course ofknitting. The needle plate 12 is stationary, the same being secured byscrews 13, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, to a stationary dial plate 14,which, as shown at 1,5, is fixed to the bed plate 1. Pivoted at 17,there only being one shown, is a camming link 18, the free end of whichhas pivoted to it as at 18a a link 19, which in turn is pivoted at`20-tothe dog 3. A spring 21 connects' between the pvot 1.8 and the arched.ring as at 22. When the dog 3 is rocked or moved in the direction of thearrow a, the camming link 18 is thrown in the position as shown in Fig.1, and the dog 3 is held locked in such position by the arm 23 of thepawl 24 engaging the notch 25 of said dog.

As shown in Fig. 1 the dog 3 is in the act of being actuated by theplunger or roller 2, the pawl 24 just having been previously tripped bythe arm 26 coming in contact with the nose 27 of the plate 28, which isadjustably secured as at 29 to the bed plate or stationary part of themachine. In other words, as the movable dial plate or ring 4 rotates,the arm 26 comes in contact with the nose 27 of the plate 28, therebycausing the arm 23 to disengage from the notch Q5 of the dog 3, in whichcase the spring 21 will throw the dog in the path of the roller 2. Asthe dial plate or ring 4 further rotates, the dog 3 will cam against theroller 2, thereby, through the medium of the link 19, actuates thecamming link 18, which in turn will actuate the needles. A spring 30 isprovided for holding the pawl in its normal position. As stated, thecam-- ming link actuates the needles radially toward the center of themachine, and as they are so moving, the latches 31 of the needles 32(which are in the radial grooves of the needle plate 12) are opened bythe latch opening linger or horn 33 of the latch opening mechanism.These latches are only opened at the time of completing one garment, andstarting the knitting of the next garment. The opening mechanismcomprises a plate 34, adjustably secured at 35 to the upper surface ofthe upper dial plate 6, and between the arms 37 of said plate, thebarrel 38 is arranged, in which the plunger core 39 telescopes. Thelatch opening finger or horn 33 merges from a point, there being acurved portion 40, into a rod 41, the upper portion of which is threadedat 42- into the plunger core 39, there being a collar 43 also threadedas shown at 44 to said rod. The rod 41 is provided with a pin 41a toengage a vertical slot 41b of the barrel 38, so as to prevent the memberor rod 41 from partially turning or rotating while at rest or whenmoving vertically. A lock nut 45 is also threaded to the rod, therebynot only locking the rod in position relative to the plunger core, butalso locking the collar 43 in position. By the arrangement of thethreaded connections of the rod with the plunger core, the same may beadjusted in dierent positions. collar 43 is an arm 46, which is mountedin and guided by the slot 47 of the upwardly extending arm 48 of one ofthe jaws or arms 37 of the plate 34. Secured to one side, of the arm 48,by means of a set screw or bolt 50 is a lever 51, acting as a latchopener holder. The upper portion of this lever 51 Projecting from the'is constructed with a laterally extending arm 52, designed as shown tooverhang the arm 46, the lug 53 of which engages the arm 46, to hold theholder in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and in this casethe latch opener is out of position to open the latches of the needle.But when the holder 51 is in the position shown in full lines, theshoulder 54 of the holder is in contact with the arm 46, thereby holdingthe latch opener down, in a position to engage the latches for openingthe same, as shown in Fig. 2. As before stated, the opening of thelatches is only needed, when completing one garment, and startinganother. After the latches have been opened, and the machine is ready tostart knitting a second garment, the pawl 60 comes in contact with thenose Q7 of the j plate 28, thereby pulling upon the rod 61,

which will oscillate the holder 51 to a position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 4, thereby permitting the rod 41 to be thrown up-- wardly, bymeans of the spring 62, interposed between the plunger core 39 and thelower end of the barrel. l/Vhen the rod 41 is thrown down again, it isaccomplished by the arm 46 being cammed by the surface 63 of the holder51. To set the rod 41 so that the linger or horn will be in a positionto open all the latches, the member 51 is moved manually, therebycausing the surface 63 to cam against the arm 46, which would throw therod 41 downwardly.

When using the improved latch opening mechanism upon the knittingmachine, it is also the purpose to provide a latch preserving device, asindicated at 7 6 in Fig. 1 and being carried by the movable member ordial plate 6. This preserving device is so constructed and arranged asto glide easily over the needle, thereby preserving the same. However,this latch preserver is set forth and shown definitely and in detail inthe foresaid application.

As the needles are moving or projecting radially toward the center ofthe machine, the latch opening fingers or horn is moving transversely toeach respective needle, thereby in this manner the latches are opened.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis 1. A knitting machine comprising in its construction, a series oflatch needles, a movable ydial plate, a latch opener for the needlescarried by the movable dial plate and comprising a casing having twotelescoping parts, one being detachably and adjustably carried by themovable dial plate, a rod adjustably mounted in the other part andhaving at its lower end a latch opener horn or finger, a lateral devicecarried by the upper end of said rod, an element adapted to be manuallymanipulated in engagement with said device for holding the rod down withthe horn in the path of said latches, means carried by the movable dialplate and having connections with said element for automaticallyactuating the same to release the device of said rod, a member on astationary part of the knitting machine for actuating said lastmentioned means, and means acting between the two parts of the casingfor throwing the rod upwardly, to automatically remove the horn from thepath of the latches.

2. In combination with a knitting machine having a series of latchneedles and provided With a movable dial plate, a latch opener carriedby the movable dial plate comprising a casing carried by the dial plate,a spring tensioned member having a latch opening horn at its lower endmounted in said casing and an arm at its upper end, an element adaptedtobe manually thrown in engagement with the arm for camming said memberdownwardly to throw the horn in the path of said latches, and meanscoperating between the movable dial plate and a stationary part of theknitting machine having connections with said element for actuating thesame to release the arm, said spring tensioned means automaticallythrowing the member out of the path of the latches.

3. In combination with a knitting machine having a series of latchneedles and provided with a movable dial plate, a latch opener carriedby the movable dial plate comprising a casing, a spring tensioned memberhaving a latch opening horn at its lower end mounted in said casing andan arm at its upper end, an element adapted to be manually thrown inengagement with the arm for camming said member downwardly to throw thehorn in the path of said latches, and means coperating between themovable dial plate and a stationary part of the knitting machine havingconnections with said element for actuating the same to release the arm,said spring tensioned means automatically throwing the member openercomprising a casing carried by the dial plate, said casing comprisingtwo parts, one being stationary, the other being movable andtelescopically mounted in the stationary part, spring tensioned meansfor the movable part, a'member adjustably mounted in the movable partand having a latch opening horn at its lower end, an arm ad- `iustablycarried by the upper end of said member, an element adapted to bemanually operated for camming against said arm to throw the memberdownwardly and holding the same down against the action of the springtensioned means with the horn in the path of the latches, and means forautomatically actuating said element to release the arm, to permit thespring tensioned means to throw the movable part and the member upwardlyand the horn out of the path of the latches.

5. In combination with a knitting machine having a series of latchneedles and provided with a movable dial plate, a latch openercomprising a casing carried by the dial plate, said casing comprisingtwo parts, one being stationary, the other being movable andtelescopically mounted in the stationary part, spring tensioned meansvfor the movable part, a member adjustably mounted in the movable partand having a latch opening horn at its lower end, an arm v adjustablycarried by the upper end of said member, an element adapted to bemanually operated for camming against said arm to throw the memberdownwardly and holding the same down against the action of the springtensioned means with the horn in the path of the latches, and means forautomatically actuating said element to release the arm, to permit thespring tensioned means to throw the movable part and the memberupwardlyand the horn out of the path of the latches, and means to prevent themember from partially turning while at rest or when moving vertically.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM J. ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. RITTER, JOSEPH CHEVALIER.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

